The comedy, The Beacon Hill Book Club, is
presently a cluttered, sprawling mess desperately in need of
major revisions. Despite this, author Susanna Salk has
written a cozy, albeit formulaic, boulevard comedy.

The setting is the library of the mansion residence of
widowed, elderly Boston blue blood Nora Baldwin (Judith
Dowd). The unoriginal but workable plot concerns Nora and
her two friends, Addy (Gloria Falzer) and Helen (Carol Lambert), also well born, elderly Boston ladies who are the sole
members of a book club whose mission is to read 100 select
books about Beacon Hill. It is the fourth anniversary of
the founding of the club, and they are only on their
eleventh book. It seems that Nora’s late husband Philip
had compiled the list of books to read with Nora when he had
become an invalid. When his failing health made it clear
that he would not survive to read any of the books, Philip
made a list of rules for The Beacon Hill Book Club, a
vehicle for the surviving Nora and her friends to read and
discuss them. In the by-laws, Philip provided that if the
club members have not read at least fifty of the books by
this anniversary, they would be required to recruit a
new member in order to revitalize their mission.

Of course, there is more detail in the above summary of
the play’s set-up than a review should normally convey.
However, in this case, it illuminates the unnecessary and
destructive overwriting that is afoot here. The set-up is
not only needlessly complicated, but it makes no sense on
several levels. Additionally, the set-up information (and,
as strange as it may seem, there is even more) is partially
withheld in order for it to be confusingly revealed in
dribs and drabs throughout most of the play’s two long acts.
There are already too many “revelations” in store for us as
the play progresses, and this tactic only adds murkiness to
the proceedings.

The only applicant that our Brahmin ladies are able to
attract is Rema (Andrea Prendamano), a sexy, young mother
who is boorish, foul mouthed, wears too much make-up and is
provocatively and vulgarly dressed. Of course, by this
time even a neophyte theatergoer will have accurately
anticipated that Rema is better read and more intellectually
astute in her understanding of life and literature than the
entire existing membership of The Beacon Hill Book
Club, and that the lives of our three old biddies will
be transformed by her.

Also present is newly hired male housekeeper George (Bill
Joachim) who is more of a Boston Brahminphile than his
employer. The several subplots include one revolving around
a more popular book club led by a social rival of Nora.
There is also a great deal of complicated plotting centered
on Rema which is never clearly explained. Additionally,
Rema is written more vulgarly than necessary. It is
appropriate for Nora to wince at her language, it is not so
for the audience to do so. The play goes on and on with an
excessive number of scenes after it could have and should
have been wrapped up. Yet, at the end, Rema is not present
and her motives and situation remain cloudy.

So what is it about The Beacon Hill Book Club that
has commercial potential? Well, Susanna Salk has written
three dignified roles which can provide excellent showcases
for actresses of a certain age, and a showy one for a
younger actress in the role of Rema. A fourth role for a
mature actress could be added as, with just a few minor
alterations, George could become Georgette. The changes
would include the elimination of the homosexual innuendo
aimed at George by Rema which should be eliminated in any
event as it makes Rema less attractive.

In any event, Salk provides much in the way of pleasant
amusing dialogue for each of them. Cast with well known
actresses, this could be a popular play for an older,
traditional theatre audience with particular appeal to
women. However, a good deal of tightening, clarification of
character and simplification of situation would have to be
accomplished first.

Judith Dowd quietly conveys the unearned smug sense of
superiority that defines Judith Dowd’s Nora. Carol
Lambert’s acerbic Helen scores with some of Salk’s sharper
lines. Addy’s personality is not clearly defined in the
script, giving Gloria Falzer little to work with. Although
I would have preferred a more subtle interpretation of Rema,
Andrea Prendamano fully inhabits the role with a great deal
of gusto. Bill Joachim is a fine George.

Director Lenny Bart has directed smoothly in keeping with
Salk’s low-key writing, although whether there is actually a
living Mrs. Thatcher (Nora’s dog) present is sometimes in
doubt. Among the design elements, Westie Grosh’s costumes
are especially fine.